Girls' Night Out

My brother and sister-in-law returned from Beirut on Monday, where they'll spend a few weeks in the Midwest and then visit friends in North Carolina and head up to the Cape to visit her family. We didn't want to overwhelm them with the kids on their first few days back, so I waited until Thursday to head over to Mom and Dad's. I don't know who was more excited to see each other--Casey and Derek or the kids (or even me!). Jeremy greeted them with open arms and huge hugs, while Riley was a tad more reserved.

I'm regretting that I forgot my camera to capture these precious moments!

We had a truly wonderful time, catching up since we last saw them in August '08, spending time camping out in the tent they got the kids, dressing up in Arab costumes (which are beyond cute!), and playing bat and ball together.

Perhaps the highlight to my day, though, was that D arranged for Mom, Casey, and me to head downtown to see a play at the Steppenwolf Theatre. Casey had always wanted to see a play downtown, and it turns out that Derek would probably prefer to have Casey go with the girls anyway. We had a wonderful time! It was the first time the three of us spent time with just the three of us; Casey is a magical fit to this family. I don't think anyone could have hand-picked a better match for my brother.

Anyway, D offered to watch the kids for me, and in between the torrential downpours, we packed ourselves up in the car and headed to the L. While standing on the platform, we noticed about 15-20 police cars, followed by several black cars with tinted windows flying down the Kennedy. We then realized that there weren't any other cars traveling down the expressway. Once we noticed an ambulance joining the promiade, Casey realized it must be the president because the president always travels with an ambulance. So how about that?! We witnessed the president arriving from the airport and heading downtown. It was then that we realized it was an excellent idea to NOT drive downtown.

We stopped for dinner at an excellent pizza place right by the theater and had a wonderful time talking. After dinner, we overheard people complaining about streets being closed due to the president. Guess he was in the same area! We walked back to the theater, found our seats and enjoyed the show called Up (And no, it's nothing like the movie we learned!). The play itself had an excellent first act that caused us to laugh aloud a few times, but the second act left a lot to be desired. We walked out of there a tad confused as to the storyline. Overall, though, the company made it worthwhile.

We arrived at home around 11, and the three of us sat on the deck chatting some more and enjoying some raspberry ice and sorbet. I hope we can make this an annual tradition, because, besides my daughter, these two women are the most important girls in my life. I love you both!

T-Ball with Papa and Nana

Don't get too used to the multiple postings! I had one freelance gig end, so I'm inbetween projects at the moment. Plus, the kids and I are heading over to my parents' tomorrow to see Uncle D and Casey, who just arrived from Lebanon earlier this week! We haven't seen them since last August, so we're just a tad giddy to see them.

Anyway, earlier this month Papa and Nana came out to see Riley play a T-ball game. Who would've thought that during July we'd all be wearing pants and sweatshirts?! I swear, Mother Nature owes me a few 90+-degree days. She and I need to have a talk.

Jeremy always enjoys playing with Papa and Nana, and this time he had someone to kick a soccer ball (or in this case a plastic golf ball) around. I know Riley enjoyed having them watch her in the stands.

Riley working on her swing.

Getting some help from Coach Dave.

Posing for the camera.

Ready to hit the ball.

A funny story, is that last week, Grandma Jill came out to watch Riley play. The team they were playing against was coached by her old soccer coach. I guess he remembered her, and how well she played. Coach Dave (Riley's current coach) came over to me at practice this past Monday and said, "So I hear you're a hell of a soccer player and that Riley isn't too bad either." I told him I was OK back in the day. It reminded me of Riley's last soccer game when she scored the last goal of the season. He asked if Riley was playing soccer now, and I said no because we wanted her to try something else. She's already told me, though, that she likes soccer better, but of course I didn't tell the coach that!

Bible School

Once swimming lessons completed, Riley was signed up to begin Bible school at our friends' church. She had been attending for the previous two years, so I decided to have her go again this year. I opted not to send J, mainly for the fact that I didn't think he'd do well with the separation. I had sent Riley when she was 3, but she also had been in daycare and our friends' daughter was in her class. (Plus, he's my boy, and I'm already having a hard enough time with the fact he's going to be in preschool next month!)

Anyway, Riley really enjoyed it. They only had it go for four days this year since the 3rd of July landed on a Friday and they figured most people would spend a long weekend out of town. So on the last day, the kids performed their songs for the parents.

Riley going through the motions.

Riley singing more songs.

Some of the kids.

Riley loved that some of the helpers remembered her from last year. She did great, as always, and actually cried on the last day.

Riley's Take on the Sox

Riley had T-ball practice tonight, so we arrived home later than normal. As a result, our bedtime routine got pushed back a little. We decided to let the kids have a little down time and color. We put the White Sox game on, and I will say that Riley is infatuated with them. It's pretty cute--tonight she saw that Paulie was batting, and she said his name is Paulie Konerko or Paulie Walnuts. Adorable.

But then we got to talking about Uncle D, since he and Casey have returned stateside today (hurray!). I said, you do realize that Uncle D does not like the White Sox, and that he likes the Cubs. Riley said that's not good. She asked which team Casey likes. I said she probably likes the Red Sox since she's from Boston. So Riley says, "That's OK because at least it's a team with Sox in the name."

On Another Note

I had to share what Riley learned from Sunday school today.

We get home, and she told me they watched a scary movie about giants.

"Mom, if we ever see a giant, we should run. But if he catches us, we should just use karate to get away."

(By the way, she was learning about David and Goliath. I'm not quite sure what karate has to do with it, though.)

Missing: One Adorable Boy Who Sleeps

I miss this little guy. Who knew he'd turn
into a terrible sleeper later on in life.

Somehow within the last month, the sweet, adorable, well-mannered child that was known as Jeremy has gone missing. In his place is a foul, ill-mannered, boy who refuses to sleep at night. It's been draining on the family as a whole. He's waking Riley, who can literally sleep through practically anything. Last night, I think Phil and I slept three or four hours total. It's worse than having a newborn because at least with a newborn you expect this. A newborn doesn't shout from its room: "I don't want to go to sleep."

We are literally at our wits' end.

I feel bad for all our guests. My cousin came to spend the night earlier this month, and although she didn't complain, I know Jeremy kept her awake both nights she was here. I joke that Jeremy is the best form of birth control--nobody wants a child after spending the night at our house. And then grandma spent the night last week, and he woke her as well. It's draining. It's exhausting.

And the smackdown isn't working. I don't want to be one of those parents that hits their child, but even that isn't working. To counteract the lack of sleep, he's been napping during the day, and we're waking him after about 1.5 hours.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'm to the point where I'm in desperate need of sleep. The defiance stinks. The attitude is discouraging.

I joke that when he's a teenager, I'm going to go into his room and consistently wake him. Phil thinks why wait--we should start doing it now. I just want to sleep. Is that too much to ask?

Swimming and Digging

Last year we signed Riley up for swimming lessons through the park district. Unlike other park districts, ours has one pool, which is found at a water park! We don't have community pools like the towns where Phil and I grew up. So that was quite a shock to us. Regardless, we felt it was important for Riley to learn how to swim. Phil was a little reluctant to sign Riley up, especially since he spent so many years as a lifeguard and taught swimming lessons. But I convinced him that even if he took Riley to a pool every day, she would most likely learn more with a more structured environment.

As a result, Riley endured swimming lessons last year, and she LOVED it! She couldn't wait for this year. I spoke with several friends and convinced them that the lessons were very much worth it. They signed their kids up this year as well. So Riley entered this year at Level 2.

On the last day, the kids were allowed
to go down the water slide.

Riley needed some assistance to get to the side.

She did very well, as evident by the video of her jumping off the diving board without a life jacket! And Jeremy enjoyed his daily digging in the huge sand box. He couldn't wait to go to lessons just so he could dig. One of our neighbors had lessons at the same time, so occasionally Jeremy would be digging with his friend Hayden.

The sandbox had running water, which was great for moats.

He was being camera shy!

Digging away.

We've already told Jeremy that next year he'll be enjoying his first round of lessons while Riley is onto level 3. Who knows, she may turn into a lifeguard just like her daddy!

T-Ball

We decided to sign Riley up for T-ball this summer, mainly to give her something else to do and to expose her to a different sport. She really enjoyed soccer in the fall, but it also wasn't offered in the summer. It's two times a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays, and she's one of three girls on the team. I believe there are about 11 kids total on the team. The coach does a great job, and Riley is learning a lot about the sport. She enjoys watching White Sox games with us and takes pride whenever they win (she also likes to gloat when the Cubs lose, so watch out Uncle D!).

We have learned that if this is a sport she's going to continue, we need to invest in aluminum bats. She's not used to that, since we use plastic ones at home. It's an eight-week session, so she still has until the end of the month. They practice on Mondays and games are on Wednesdays. The games are cute--each team bats once around and each player only takes one base.

Doing warm-ups.

Getting ready to hit.

A funny story from one of the first practices: While the kids take turns batting, the other kids field the ball and practice throwing to first base. One of the batters hit the ball and Riley battled two little boys to take the ball. The coach turned to the parents and said, "Guess we won't have to worry about her!"

I asked Riley the other day if she likes T-ball, and she said she does, but she likes soccer better. That's my girl.

This Shirt Says It All

It's been tough at the C household these last few weeks. I'm not quite sure what is the reasoning--it could be due to Riley being out of school, due to the kids spending tons of time together, or it could just be their ages. But there's been a lot of bickering lately, and Jeremy isn't sleeping well. At. All. He's up almost as often as a newborn. There was a day last week that he was up for four hours at night. He thinks up of so many excuses--he needs to go potty, he needs a glass of water, someone needs to put more blankets on him, and my favorite, I don't want to go back to bed. We're finally throwing the smackdown on him this week and ending this madness.

It's funny, though, because neighbors of ours brought over a bag of clothes for Jeremy, and in there was a shirt that is so appropriate that I put it on him any chance I get. And several Moms have commented that they would love to have a shirt like that. So what do you think?

I couldn't have said it better.

He Told Me

We were at Riley's T-ball practice tonight, and I brought a soccer ball along for Jeremy to keep himself occupied. We were kicking back and forth to each other, and one of my passes didn't quite make it to him. He turns to me, with a straight look on his face, and says:

Come on Mom, you can do better than that!

Wow. He sure told me!

Downtown

When Phil was offered a job in the city some three-plus years ago, he swooned about how romantic it is to work downtown. To take the train in from the far suburbs only to be swallowed by the impressive city was something he always hoped to be a part of. Last month (eek, am I that behind?!) I loaded up the kids for their first ride on the Metra and their first experience downtown.

Getting ready to board the train.

Jeremy was a little hesitant boarding the train, but once we sat down, he was enamored. I made sure we sat on a car that had a bathroom--with an hour + train ride, I figured better safe than sorry. We were on the first car, so Jeremy was giddy to hear the train whistle every so often. And then both kids enjoyed watching all the fruit flies, which is weird, but who am I to judge?

We made it downtown, then had to use the bathroom, which is always fun with two kids. (For the record, Riley also used the bathroom on the train). People were gracious and helpful seeing me manage with both kids, and then we were on our way. Riley was a great helper pushing Jeremy in the umbrella stroller. We found Dad out front of his building and then went up to his office to meet people and have lunch.

Afterward we started our trek to Millennium Park, which Phil claimed was about half a mile. Close to one mile later, we found the park.

Kids playing in the water.

Riley running around.

The kids thoroughly enjoyed playing in the fountain, although they didn't care for the stream of water that shoots out of the mouth on the wall. We then walked over to the Bean and took some pictures.

Pictures at the Bean.

More at the Bean.

We decided to be adventurous and head over to Buckingham Fountain, which was the sight some nine years earlier of a proposal.

Dad and Riley on the way to Buckingham Fountain.

Both kids enjoyed seeing the water coming out of the fountain. But we were all getting tired of walking, so we decided to call it a day and head back to the train. We were quite the sight--Riley was in the umbrella stroller holding Phil's work bag while he was pushing her and Jeremy was on my shoulders.

Buckingham Fountain.

Another shot.

Kids at the Fountain.

Getting engaged in 2000.

The kids were able to watch movies on Phil's laptop, while he and I actually enjoyed a pleasant conversation uninterrupted. All in all, it was a perfect day.

The end to a wonderful day.